Weft-detecting mechanism



B. F. McGU|NESS.

WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1918.

1 $360,553 Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

B. F. McGUINESS.

WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1918.

Patented'Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEELZ- B. cGUINESS-.

WEFT DE NG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 191B.

' 1 ,360,553, Patented Nov. 30, 1920. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. eGUINEss, on sau vnnnsvrnnni MASsAcH snTTs; ASsIeNoR T01 CORPORATION or MAssAcHUsnTTs.

wErT-nnTEcTi Gf'ivrncnanrsm;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I," BENJAMIN F. Mo- GUINnss, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Saundersville in the county of Worcester and State of .L assachusetts, have invented a new and useful Weft-Detecting Mechanism, of which the followingyis a specification.

This invention relates to weft detecting mechanism of the type used "to indicate substantial exhaustion of weft in a weft replenishing loom. i

It is one object of my invention to provide detecting mechanism so constructed that ample time will be allowed for the in-. dicating movements and for the operations controlled thereby. With this object 1 in view, a feature of my invention relates to the provision of a controlling member normally inoperative but movable to operative position after indication of substantlal weft exhaustion, and remaining in such position until. the actuator controlled by said member has completed its operative movement. Another feature relates to the provision of resetting devices associatedwith Said actuator and operative on the return movement thereof to reset the weft detector;

Another object of myinvention'is to provide devices for withdrawing the detector during the transfer of the weft carrier, so constructed that a second and unnecessary indication will be avoided.

An additional object of my invention is to provide detecting mechanism having a certain amount of lost motion, whereby 'accidental slight indications will not result in a transfer.

Features of my invention also relate to arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended 01311118.

A preferred form of my inventlon s shown in the drawings, in wh1ch- Figure l is a front elevation ofa portion of aloom having my improved detecting mechanism mounted thereon; j

Fig. 2' is a plan view of the detectlng mechanism in normal position;

' Fig. 3 is a left-hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l, but in position to call a transfer, and

Fig. 4 is a partial plan View showing certain parts in an intermediate position.

Specification of LettersPatent. PatentedNov. 30, 1920. Application filed May .25, 1918. Serial No. 236,460. 2

'Referring to the drawings, I have shown a bracket 10 (Fig. 1) secured toa loom side 11 and-supporting the several parts of my detecting-mechanism. I have also showna portion of a weft carrier magazine frame 12 upon which is mounted a transferrer 13. The mechanism for controlling and actuatingthe transferrer forms no part of--my invention and struction.-

A, stand or guide-way 14" (Fig.2) is ad justably secured to the bracket 10, and a hollow slide 15 is mounted for longitudinal movement therein. At its rear end the slide 15 is provided with a fixed detecting member 16 adapted to engage the weft carrier in the active shuttle. A second detector 17 is formed as along bent lever "pivoted at 18 in the-slide 15; The rear end of the demaybe of any usualv con tector 17 is provided with teeth adapted to engage the weft on the active weft carrier in the usual manner. A light spring 19 normally holds the detector 17 in the posi-* tion shown in Fig. 2. I I

The front end of the member 17 is bent or offset laterally, and is provided with a depending portion 20 (F 1) adaptedunder certain conditions to engage an arm 21 mounted on a shaft 22 supported in. fixed bearings lO onthe'bracket 10. Y A second arm 23 is adjustably secured to the shaft 22 and has a pivoted connection *at'its upper end with a-rod 24, longitudinally movable in abearingi25. A slot 26 intersects the path of movement of the rod 25 andcon-- stitutes aivertical guide-way forone end of an actuator lever 27 pivoted at 28 tothe upper end of an actuator rod 29. The opposite end of the lever 27 is pivotally connected at 30 to a rod 31 through which the weft replenishing mechanism is controlled.

The rod. 29 is given a reciprocating move ment from any convenient driven part of the loom, and as long as the rod 24 is withdrawn.

from the slot 26 the lever 27 swings idly about its pivot 30. NVhen the rod 24'.is interposed in the path of the lever 27 the rod I is'drawn downward, and substantial weft exhaustion is thus indicated to the transfer mechanism. a 1 I For afull description ofthe construction and operation of the lever 27 and partscontrolled thereby, reference is made to the patent to Ryon, No. 972,722, issued October 'its upper end thereto.

nected at one end-to the lower end of the link 33 and at its other end to a stud 35 fixed in the bracket 10. The studs 32 and 35 are so positioned that the spring 34 acting through the link 33 yieldingly holds the rod 24 in either operative or inoperative position. In Fig. 3, the arm 23, the rod'24, and the parts connected thereto are shown in operative position to indicate substantial weft exhaustion; 7

An arm 36 (Fig. 1) is pivoted on a stud 37 fixed in the bracket 10 and is yieldingly moved toward the casing 14 by a coil spring 38. An adjusting screw 39 engages a portion of the casing and limits rearward movementof the arm. it its upper endthe arm 36 is extended laterally and upwardly in each direction to form projections 40 and 41. The projection 40 is positioned for engagement with the offset portion of the detecting member 17, and the projection 41 has a slot and screw connection with a slidingbar 42 (Fig. 2). The -rear end of said bar is guided on a stud 43 in the slide 15, and is provided with an offset portion 44 positioned for engagement by a lug 45 on the arm 46 of the transferrer 13. The casing 14 is slotted to permit movement of the stud 43.

The arm 23 has a depending offset portion 47 (Fig. 3) positioned for engagement by an arm 48 extending forwardly from the actuator rod 29.

Having described the construction of my improved detecting mechanism, I will now describe its operation.

The detectors 16v and 17 normally occupy the position shownin Fig. 2, and are held in engagement by the spring 19. When contacting with a weft carrier having a sufficient amount ofweft thereon, the" weft engages the teeth of the detector 17 and pre vents movement thereof axially of theweft carrier. The slide 15 and detectors 16 and. 17 therefore move idly forward with the weft carrier, and no transfer indication is given. I

When the weft is substantially exhausted on the active weft carrier, the teeth of the detector 17 no longer engage the weft and the detector 17 is therefore free to swing laterally as the slide is forced forward by the weft carrier, such lateral movement being due to the engagement of the offset portion of the detector 17 by the projection 40 on the arm 36. The spring 38 is of suflicient strength to overcomethe resistance of the light spring 19.

he parts are moved forward by the lay to A spring 34 is con the position shown in Fig. 4 with the arm 21' then standingin the path of the depending portion 20 of the detector 17. As the slide 15 moves rearward with the lay after the detecting beat, the portion 20 engages the arm 21'and moves the controlling rod 24 to" the position shown in Fig. 3 in which po- 'sition the parts are yieldingly retained by the spring .34. The parts remain in this position until after the downward movement of the actuator rod 29 by which the actuator 27 is moved to indicate a transfer. Upon the next upward movement of the rod 29 the arm 48 engages the portion 47 of the arm 23, as shown in Fig. 3,and returns the rod 24 to the normal inoperative position of Fig. 2. I r

As the transferrer 13 is subsequently operated to transfer the fresh weft carrier, the stud 45 on the transferrer arm 46 engages the end 44 of the slide bar 42 and moves the bar toward the front of the loom; The slotted connection with the slide 15 permits the bar to move thearm 36 before it moves the slide 15. The pressure of the arm 36 is thus removed from the detector 17, which is thus permitted to remain in inoperative position while the slide is Withdrawn during the transfer A second and uncalled for indication by the detector 17 is thus avoided.

The projection 20 of the detector 17 is normally slightly spaced from the path of the arm 21, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that slight movements of the detector 17 will not call for a transfer. Such slight movements are frequently caused by inequalities in the weft .surface of the active weft carrier.

Having thus described ,my invention, it will beseenthat the rod 24 is normallymaintained in inoperative position and that when moved to operative position it remains in such position until afterthe operation ,of the actuator 27., In this way ample time is provided for all necessary operations. It will be further evident that changes and modifications can be made in my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as expressed in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the'details herein disclosed, but what I do claim is 1. In a loom, a stand, a slide freely movable therein, a weft detecting member extending forward longitudinally through said slide and pivoted thereto near the front end ofsaid slide, said detecting member having an off-set front end portion andhaving a spring acting continuously to hold said detector normally in inoperative position, and a second and stronger spring effective to overpower said first spring and to move said detecting member to operative position when said member engages a substantially exhausted weft carrier.

2. In aloom, a weftdetector mounted on a stationary part of the loom, weft replenishing mechanism controlled thereby, connections between said detector and said mecha nism, indicated for operation on the for- Wardmovement of the detector and operative only on the" return movement of said detector after an indication of substantial Weft exhaustion, and means to reset said detector during Weft replenishment and by said Weft replenishing mechanism.

3. In a loom, a Weft detector, and weft replenishing mechanism controlled thereby, said mechanism including an actuator, having an indicating stroke, a normally inoperative controlling member, means controlled by said detector efiective to move said member to operative position, means to hold said member in such position, and means operable on the alternate stroke of such actuator effective to restore said member to in-- operative position.

4:. In a Weft detecting mechanism, an actuator, a controlling member therefor, a single means to hold said member in either operative or inoperative position, means to move said member to operative position, and 2 a device operable by said actuator on its stroke effective to restore said member to inoperative position.

5. In a Weft detecting mechanism, a slide,

a detector pivoted thereon, an arm yieldingly engaging said slide, a bar connected to said arm and having a lost motion connection with said slide, and a transferrer having a portion engaging said bar in the event of transfer and Withdrawing said arm and said slide successively from operative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. c

BENJAMIN MCGUINESS. 

